In the previous issue of SA Horseman, we touched on the importance of ­schooling for horses. As a horse gets more supple and willing to accept the aids you use, he will be more capable of maintaining self-carriage. However, there are some principles that need to be applied.

Consistency is one of the most important terms in schooling or training any horse. Use aids to familiarise the horse with the terms and do not keep changing them. Never reprimand a horse for doing something which, up until then, you have allowed. Decide what you want to achieve and work towards it ­gradually. Look at a horse’s physical conformation and r­emember that not all horses are capable of doing the same things.

Here are some schooling tips that will assist you in developing your horse’s capabilities.

Half halt

A half halt has been described as a “the ­momentary collection of the horse in ­motion”. It is a brief passing moment of bringing a horse ­together, shortening his stride, slowing the tempo without losing the liveliness and rhythm, ­restoring the balance, or sharpening a horse’s ­attention in preparation for something to come (i.e. a transition, halt or new movement).

It is usually done by a deepening of the seat and a slight lift of the hand, or tightening of the rein (not backward or downward) while still riding the horse forward (petrol and brake at the same time, as a clever and insightful groom once described it!).

Beware that it does not result in a jerk on the rein, accompanied by a kick in the guts with the horse throwing his head up, turning his head and hollowing his back, as that is ­exactly the opposite of what one was aiming to achieve. It is a subtle movement and in a well schooled horse, should be hardly more than a closing of the fingers and leg.

Changing direction

Once a horse is happy working on a circle and can maintain his balance and forward rhythm, one can introduce figures of eight. ­Often when one changes direction, the young or ­unschooled horse will lose his rhythm and ­balance, hollowing his back, throwing his head up and swinging his quarters out.

Assist the horse by keeping a firm contact on the new outside rein, pushing the horse out with the new inside leg on the girth and the new outside leg slightly back to keep the ­quarters in place.

Remember when trotting ­rising, to change the diagonal. Try to maintain the rhythm throughout. Keep the horse on one or two circles to settle him back into his frame and rhythm and do another change.

Transitions

Transitions are when a horse goes from one gait to another. A downward transition goes from a canter to a trot or a walk. An upward transition is from a walk to a trot or a canter. Transitions should be performed with ­minimum difficulty or loss of balance.

When asking a horse to do either an ­upward or downward transition, initially the normal reaction would be a loss of balance. The head will come up and the back will ­hollow. ­Nevertheless, keep the contact firm and ­support the horse by riding him forward into the transition, whether it be up or down.

When doing a downward transition, never just take your leg off and kick it forward, as the horse will immediately fall apart, losing his balance and his frame.

Keep your leg in position at all times. Give a half halt just before asking for a transition. Do as many transitions as possible and do not require young or unschooled horses to do walk/canter transitions.

Canter work

A horse should always lead with the inside leg when cantering on a curve or a bend ­(unless doing a counter canter, which is not referred to here). Sit deeply into the saddle and do not lean forward – keep your back straight, ­maintain contact and ask with the inside leg on the girth and the outside leg behind the girth. Do not lean forward down the inside shoulder to see if the horse is right, as this will throw him off balance. Rather have someone on the ground to advise you.

When starting to do work on a circle at the canter, the horse may try to run, drift on his outside shoulder or disunite in his hind legs. This is because he is still unbalanced and it is hard work to take the weight on the inside hind leg, while maintaining the required bend for the circle. Therefore, do not go round and round on a circle at first. Canter one circle at a time, then trot and walk, rewarding him, until the horse is happier.

Once the horse is working well on the ­circle, maintaining his rhythm, frame and bend, one can ride a straight line out of the ­circle. The horse may want to throw his ­quarters to the inside. Sit deeply into the saddle, keeping ­contact and rhythm, and slide the inside leg back slightly to straighten the quarters out. He may also want to drop onto the forehand, so give a half halt to bring everything together again, maintaining the rhythm and balance.

Simple change

This is when direction is changed in the ­canter, with a few trot strides in the middle. Initially give the horse enough trot strides in order for him to rebalance, change the ­direction and do not ask for a canter ­until the horse is settled onto the new bend. As the horse improves, the amount of trot strides may be lessened.